1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric current-producing cells, and more particularly to such cells employing specified cathode-active materials comprising one or more carbon-sulfur compounds having the formula C.sub.x S, wherein x is specified.
2. Prior Art
There has been considerable interest in recent years in developing high energy density batteries for voltaic cells. Exemplary of the developing systems is a high energy density electrochemical cell utilizing compounds of the transition metal chalcogenides such as titanium disulfide as cathode-active materials and using alkali metal anodes, e.g., as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,052. U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,222 describes a cell having, for example, a lithium anode-active material, a molten electrolyte, and mixtures of FeS.sub.2 and various metal sulfides as its cathode-active material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,879 describes alkali metal anode, chalcogenide cathode cells wherein the cathode-active chalcogenides are transition metal phosphorus chalcogenides such as Li.sub.4 FePS.sub.3, K.sub.6 FePS.sub.3, Li.sub.3 FePS.sub.3, LiNaFePS.sub.3, LiNaKFePS.sub.3, LiK(NiFe)PS.sub.3, and the like. Other U.S. Patents, e.g. Nos. 3,645,792, 3,762,954, and 3,811,947, describe cells having, for example, alkali metal anodes, and carbon cathodes wherein these cathodes are treated with sulfur/sulfur compounds to yield carbon-containing, sulfur-containing cathode-active materials.
Although there has been extensive development of various alkali metal anode cells having sulfur, sulfur compound and carbon cathodes such as those described in the above-mentioned exemplary prior art references, research continues for alkali metal anode, sulfur compound cathode type cells which exhibit acceptable cathode-active material capabilities yet utilize relatively inexpensive cathode-active materials. Notwithstanding the considerable variety of high energy density electrochemical cell systems which have recently been developed, it is believed that the particular cells of the present invention, which utilize a desirable combination of relatively inexpensive yet relatively active cathode-active materials, have not been heretofore disclosed or rendered obvious.